Heavitree Community Preschool

Inspection of Heavitree Community Preschool South Lawn Terrace, Heavitree, Exeter EX1 2SN

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Overall effectiveness Good

The quality of education Good Behaviour and attitudes Good Personal development Good Leadership and management Good Overall effectiveness at previous inspection Outstanding

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The provision is good

Children are happy and settled. They are pleased to meet visitors and are keen to engage them in play. Children have strong bonds with the adults who care for them and they enjoy playing and learning alongside them; they feel safe and secure in the setting. Children are proud of their achievements and are quick to praise each other too. For example, children exclaim, 'look I made this' when exploring the play dough. Adults then show real interest in the creations made.

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The provision is good

Children enjoy many varied activities and experiences at the setting. They are developing positive attitudes to learning. Children animatedly recount their summer holiday adventures and staff use these to support children's developing understanding of the world around them. Children laugh and smile at each other as they compare their days at the beach and describe in detail the rock pool and cold salty sea. Children use their critical-thinking skills when discussing how they kept warm at the beach and how best to care for the limpets in the rock pools. 'They live there, you have to leave them in their house', are some of the responses from the children. Children enjoy a story that builds on their experiences and excites them further. They giggle as they collectively act out parts of the story, whispering, 'we are living in a shell'.

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The provision is good

Children are kind and caring towards both adults and their friends. They seek to help each other when having snack and preparing for lunch. For example, children say, 'Here is your lunch box. Would you like to sit with me?'. When children are talking to adults, the adults ensure the children have time to think and share their feelings and thought

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need to do better?

n Staff value home/setting links and have built positive relationships with parents. Transitions from home to pre-school are well supported. Staff collect information from parents about their children. This information is used to support children when they start at the setting. Children settle quickly in the setting and form good bonds with key persons. Parents praise the adults that care for their children and are thankful for how much progress their children are making. n Staff support children to develop both gross and fine motor skills. Children engage in lots of activities that increase their hand and finger control. They enjoy breaking spaghetti in role play, rolling play dough and cutting it with scissors, building with bricks and playing with animals in imaginative play. Children readily play both indoors and outdoors and being physically active is encouraged and modelled by staff as they ask, 'how many jumps can I do with

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need to do better?

the hoop? How many can you do?'. n Children's mathematical development is increasing. They use mathematical

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need to do better?

8 September 2022 vocabulary in their play. For example, children make spaghetti soup and exclaim, 'this one is short, this one is long'. They compare shapes formed with play dough while expressing, 'This is round, it's a ball, that one is a star'. n Staff have a well-established daily routine and transition times are organised. They are smooth and effective in supporting children with learning and development. n Staff plan experiences and activities linked to children's interests. Staff regularly make changes to the environment to support children's growing developmental and learning needs. Staff adapt the activities in the light of the fact that some children have just returned after summer and some are new to the setting. Staff explain how different the environment is when they are preparing children for the transition to start school. n Staff engage well with the children. However, opportunities by some staff to

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need to do better?

extend learning are not always seized. For example, during inspection, the extending of mathematical knowledge was not always grasped. n The play leader managers are reflective and although they are new to their positions, they show a clear vision for the setting's priorities moving forward. They are making changes that are improving current provision, while also ensuring impact for the children's learning and development experiences long term. Staff are happy and show high morale. Staff well-being and development are a priority for the new management team. n Staff support children to be confident communicators. The setting is language rich and staff are mindful of how to increase children's vocabulary. Children have lots of opportunities to talk with each other, interact with adults and be listened to. n Staff have developed the range of mark-making materials available to the children. However, staff miss opportunities to model purposeful writing to

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need to do better?

children to promote their early writing skills.

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Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

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Safeguarding

Staff have secure knowledge of indicators that may show a child is at risk of abuse. They know how to respond appropriately to these signs. Staff show a shared understanding of how to report concerns. Staff recognise their responsibilities to keep children safe. Children are safe and secure in the setting. The setting has established routines to ensure the children can enter and exit the building safely.

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should:

n support staff to provide higher levels of teaching to further extend children's learning of mathematical knowledge

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should:

8 September 2022 n support young children to learn to enjoy writing and to understand its purpose.

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Setting details

Unique reference number EY410585 Local authority Devon Inspection number 10233768 Type of provision Childcare on non-domestic premises Registers Early Years Register Day care type Sessional day care

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inspection

Total number of places 52 Number of children on roll 52 Name of registered person Heavitree Community Preschool Committee

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reference number

Telephone number 01392 426358 Date of previous inspection 17 November 2016

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Information about this early years setting

Heavitree Community Preschool registered in 2010. It operates from a new purpose-built provision within the grounds of St Michael's Church of England Primary School in Exeter, Devon. The pre-school operates Monday to Friday from 9.15am to 3.30pm, during term time only. The pre-school provides funded early education for children aged two, three and four years old. The pre-school employs 10 members of childcare staff. Of these, eight hold appropriate early years qualifications ranging from level 3 to early years professional status.

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Inspection activities

n This was the first routine inspection the provider received since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The inspector discussed the impact of the pandemic with the provider and has taken that into account in their evaluation of the provider. n The inspector observed the interactions between staff and children. n The inspector carried out a joint observation of a group activity with the manager. n The inspector spoke to several parents during the inspection and took account of their views. n The inspector looked at relevant documentation and reviewed evidence of the suitability of staff working in the setting. n The deputy manager, play lead manager and inspector completed a learning walk together and discussed the early years curriculum. n Children spoke to the inspector during the inspection about what they enjoy doing at the setting. n The inspector spoke with the nominated individual about the leadership and

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Inspection activities

management of the setting. n The special educational needs coordinator spoke to the inspector about how they support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities. n The inspector observed the quality of education being provided, indoors and outdoors, and assessed the impact that this was having on children's learning.

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Inspection activities

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Inspection activities

8 September 2022 regulates and inspects to achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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Inspection activities

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